Joseph Tanfani

When Sen. Robert Menendez stands in a New Jersey courtroom Wednesday to face bribery charges, a lot more than his political future will be riding on the outcome.

For federal prosecutors, the case will be a test of whether they can still make corruption charges stick in the wake of a Supreme Court decision last year that tightly restricted the reach of the federal bribery law.

The case, the first against a sitting U.S. senator in nearly a decade, also might affect the delicate balance of power in the Senate, where a thin Republican majority has made it difficult for the party to pass legislation.

If the jury convicts Menendez, Republicans would try to boot him from office...

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